novelraw Chapter 164 : The Knight and Her Queen
Chapter 164 : The Knight and Her Queen
A peculiarly tense atmosphere permeated the private hospital room.
Tang Yucai returned, holding two boxes of the most potent suppression patches.
The few pheromones lingering in the room had already been eliminated by the fresh air system.
Gu Qianqiu lowered her gaze to the suppression patches in her hand, then glanced at the silent Teacher Tang.
She clearly understood her Alpha's slight unease.
At the same time, Gu Qianqiu found it somewhat amusing.
What mother gets jealous of her daughter's partner?
After Gu Junwan applied her suppression patch, she was about to take the Alpha-specific one to help Shen Han, but Tang Yucai's voice interjected: "Let me do it!"
Before her daughter could respond, Teacher Tang had already grabbed the patch and walked to the bedside.
Though Shen Han couldn't see, she could sense the parent's current displeasure.
Her heart pounding nervously, she sat properly on the bed, clutching the blanket edge, not daring to move.
Upon approaching the bed and seeing Shen Han's head wrapped in bandages, Tang Yucai's slight vexation immediately dissipated.
'Isn't this girl also my daughter?'
'I'm really regressing, getting worked up over my own child!'
Inwardly reproaching herself, Tang Yucai sat down beside Shen Han.
She gently gathered the hair at the nape of the other's neck, but her gaze suddenly froze.
She noticed a 2-centimeter-long scratch on the left side of Shen Han's neck.
The wound wasn't deep, not requiring stitches, but the twisted blood mark on her fair skin was particularly jarring.
After applying the patch, Tang Yucai pulled back Shen Han's collar to look.
As expected, the Alpha's shoulders and back were covered in bruises of varying depths.
Tang Yucai felt a pang in her heart.
She adjusted the slightly askew hospital gown for the girl before her and asked: "Does the wound still hurt?"
Shen Han immediately replied: "It doesn't hurt anymore."
After a pause, she softly added: "Thank you, Dad."
Tang Yucai's nose tingled, her eyes reddening slightly.
She raised her hand to stroke the Alpha's head, saying gently: "Rest well. When you're discharged, come back to the villa with Little Wan. Dad will make you something delicious."
After staying with Shen Han for a while, Gu Qianqiu and Tang Yucai left first.
Leaving space for the two clingy children.
As it wasn't convenient for Gu Junwan to stay overnight in the hospital room, the two cuddled against the headboard, chatting until nearly midnight before she prepared to leave.
"Wife, can I have one more goodnight kiss?"
Tonight's puppy was especially clingy.
Hearing her soft, gentle voice, Gu Junwan almost couldn't bear to leave.
She hesitated briefly, then straddled Shen Han's waist.
In their current position, with Gu Junwan sitting upright, she was a full head taller than Shen Han.
She raised the Alpha's chin with her finger, gently brushing her fingertip across the other's full lips.
Shen Han leaned against the headboard, face upturned, sensing Gu Junwan's presence.
Like a knight gazing up at her queen.
Gu Junwan slowly lowered her head, her smooth long hair cascading down, bringing a waft of fragrance that brushed against Shen Han's neck and shoulders.
As their lips met, a sweet essence once again blossomed on their tongues.
Fortunately, Gu Qianqiu and Tang Yucai didn't choose this moment to push open the hospital room door.
Otherwise, it wouldn't have been just Teacher Tang whose blood pressure suddenly spiked.
......
For three consecutive days, a steady stream of visitors came to the hospital room to see Shen Han.
A small portion were friends she knew.
More people came because of the potential and value she had demonstrated.
Shen Han was only in her early twenties, yet already held the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
In peacetime, such rapid promotion could only be described as terrifying.
Of course, everything she had achieved now was well-deserved.
Every merit was watered by her blood and sweat.
How could well-informed 'investors' overlook such a promising Alpha?
Among the visitors were current government officials of the Free Federation, but more were retired senior cadres.
They weren't clear about Shen Han's previous movements, only knowing she was injured in the battle against financial groups.
Combined with the Empress's recent crackdown on various financial groups, the 'investors' could easily guess that Captain Shen must have made significant contributions this time!
Making connections was a must.
Those with unmarried Omegas of suitable age at home could hardly contain their excitement.
Imagine, if they could form a marriage alliance with Shen Han, wouldn't their entire family soar?
The enthusiasm of these people was somewhat overwhelming for Shen Han.
Even when she told them she already had a girlfriend, their smiles didn't diminish.
"Haha, it's fine, it's fine. Young people should make more friends."
"Yes, yes, even if you're married, it doesn't conflict with normal social interactions at all."
Shen Han was at a loss for words.
These visitors were well-versed in the principle of moderation, matchmaking for Shen Han with a half-joking attitude.
They could advance or retreat as needed!
When Xu Zhao heard about these matters, she first inwardly cursed 'old foxes', then immediately reported to the Empress.
"Your Majesty, should I speak to the hospital and forbid any more visitors?"
Gu Junwan put down the document in her hand, a dangerous light flickering in her golden phoenix eyes: "Has anyone brought Omegas directly to the hospital room?"
Xu Zhao thought carefully: "No, not yet. They're still at the stage of probing Shen Han's attitude."
As she finished speaking, Xu Zhao saw the sharpness in her Empress's eyes recede.
She thought to herself: If those people trying to make advances on the puppy knew whose territory they were encroaching on, they'd probably be scared to death.
Gu Junwan checked the time, then put away her pen and instructed Xu Zhao: "Go inform the hospital that Shen Han's visiting hours are only from 3 PM to 5 PM."
Xu Zhao nodded, about to take out her phone to implement this when she heard Gu Junwan continue: "Have the driver prepare. We're going to the hospital now."
Hearing this, Xu Zhao reflexively replied: "Yes, Your Majesty. I'll have someone clear the 15th floor of the inpatient department first."
"You don't know how lively the rest area on that floor is now. Many people are queuing to visit her."
By now, Gu Junwan had walked from her desk to Xu Zhao's side.
The Empress's voice carried a rare hint of mischief: "No need to arrange clearing. We'll go directly."
At 3 PM.
Those waiting, having just received notice of the adjusted visiting hours, couldn't help but feel lucky.
'My luck is really good!'
'If I had come any later, I might not have even been able to step into the room today.'
Just as they were feeling pleased, suddenly the entire 15th floor of the inpatient department was cordoned off by uniformed guards.
The next moment, the Empress, accompanied by her assistant, stepped out of the private elevator, escorted by two S-class Alphas, heading towards Shen Han's room.
Only after the sound of a door opening and closing in the distance did these waiting visitors begin to murmur.
"Was that just now the Empress? Am I seeing things in my old age?"
"It was indeed Her Majesty the Empress! She must be here to visit Captain Shen, perhaps to arrange some follow-up tasks."
"Now that the hospital has changed the visiting hours, who knows how long the Empress will stay inside."
"I have a suggestion. Why don't we all go in together later? It'll save time. We've all been waiting here for hours, and it's not easy for anyone."
As soon as this person spoke, they immediately received enthusiastic responses from those around.
After all, they couldn't have in-depth conversations with Shen Han anyway. Going in together to make connections would allow them to gather more information from others' polite exchanges. Why not?
However, the 15th-floor visitors ended up waiting until 5 PM.
Even as nurses came to ask everyone to leave, the Empress's party had not emerged from the room.
With visiting hours over, they could only leave with sighs.
They were determined to come again tomorrow afternoon.
Though Captain Shen couldn't see temporarily, she would surely remember who had come to 'pay respects'.
To seize opportunities, one couldn't be afraid of trouble.
Often, society's rules were just like this: a step ahead gives the chance to stay steps ahead!
The next day, even more people were waiting early in the 15th-floor rest area.
They had all heard that the hospital had reduced Shen Han's visiting hours to just 2 hours.
Even if several families agreed to enter the room together, they couldn't possibly flood in as a large group.
Calculating 20 minutes per round, 2 hours of visiting time would at most accommodate 6 groups of people.
And the reality would certainly not be that efficient.
Who didn't want to stay longer and chat more with Shen Han?
The group nearly started arguing in the rest area over who should go first or last.
However, just as they had finally reached the designated visiting time, the Empress arrived again with her entourage.
They couldn't quite describe their feelings now.
So frustrating! But they still had to maintain their smiles.
In the hospital room.
Gu Junwan was handling official business with Xu Zhao in the sofa area.
Ma Haoyu sat on a stool by the bed peeling fruit, while Ning Xi was telling Shen Han about some recent training courses in the guard squad.
The Iron Triangle had always been very close, and after adapting to the Empress's presence, Ma Haoyu and Ning Xi gradually relaxed from their initial stiffness.
The two sat around the hospital bed, chatting happily with their captain.
They were so cheerful that even Special Assistant Xu, seriously working nearby, felt a bit sour.
She thought to herself: How can those Alphas have so much to talk about endlessly!
Thinking of the people on the same floor silently brooding, Xu Zhao couldn't help but glance secretly at her Empress.
Yesterday, she couldn't quite understand why the Empress went to the trouble of changing visiting hours and coming personally.
Now she realized just how cunning her Empress could be when dealing with potential love rivals.
The mood of those people in the rest area, if described, would probably be like the saying "a mute eating bitter melon" - suffering in silence.
'In the past, would the Empress ever do such trivial things?'
'Now with the puppy, the Empress has really changed a lot.'
Just as Xu Zhao's thoughts began to wander slightly, her work phone suddenly rang.
After taking the call, Xu Zhao moved to Gu Junwan's side and said softly: "Your Majesty, Zhou Ming and Zhou Nuoman, the father-daughter pair, have come again. Security didn't let them in. They left fruit baskets at the guard room door and are now waiting outside the Peace Palace."
Gu Junwan looked up: "How many days have they been coming? How long do they wait outside the Peace Palace before leaving each time?"
After hearing Xu Zhao's report, she tapped her fingers thoughtfully for a few seconds, then spoke: "This Vice Chairman is quite clever. Let them come."
Xu Zhao discreetly glanced towards the hospital bed and quietly confirmed: "Your Majesty, do you mean to have them come directly here?"
Gu Junwan closed her pen cap, nodding slightly: "Yes, this meeting with him shouldn't be too formal. This way, it can create enough of a fog effect, preventing outsiders from seeing clearly the deal between him and me."
"If everyone could guess that the dismantling of the Zhou K Group was a coordinated internal and external strategy, Zhou Ming would be unable to stand in his family, and other financial groups watching from the sidelines would no longer voluntarily restrain their illegal activities out of intimidation."